Rivals
by CaptainSwanSolo
Summary: Tumblr prompt: being in rival bands but secretly dating. Emma and Killian, the lead singers of two rival bands, have been dating for almost a year. Sick and tired off all the bickering between the two bands, they decide the time has come to reveal their relationship. CS AU


**Hey everyone! I'm back! I know, it's been a year and I should be updating Whole Again, but I've already delayed it this long so I've decided I'm going to finish writing it first and update it every other day so I don't leave anyone reading that with another long wait. And I promise I'm working on it; it's mostly done and I'm doing my best to fill in what's left, but in the meantime I realised I had this lying around (amongst others) which just needed a bit of refining, so here you go! I hope you like it and I'd love to hear what you thought!**

 **Disclaimer: Unfortunately, no**

Emma Swan and Killian Jones were two of the most well know musicians in the world. As lead singers of their respective bands everyone knew who they were, which resulted in endless invitations to parties, events and just generally big nights out. Both being so famous usually meant they were invited to the same events, which required mixing with the same company and meeting each other regularly. However, there was a major problem; they were in bands which rivalled each other like no other, and as a result they absolutely, definitely, one hundred percent hated each other.

Or so everyone thought.

In reality, Emma Swan and Killian Jones were head over heels in love.

When they'd first met they had been with their bands; Emma with Enchanted and Killian with The Neverlanders. Immediately there had been tension between the two groups.

Both had been nominated for breakthrough artist of the year, and everyone knew it was going to be a close call as to who would win. As the evening progressed, tensions between the groups escalated and there had almost been a full on fight. It turned out that members from both groups had started arguing about music, but soon enough music had turned into something much more personal, and ever since then both bands had sworn to never speak to each other again.

Unfortunately, for Emma and Killian, this sucked. While the rest of their bands' members had been up to no good, these two had had spent the evening bonding over their music. Both had the upmost respect for the other, and as the conversation had veered towards how they had got to where they were, light was shed on their pasts and they realised they had much more in common than they had previously envisioned. This had led to a few kisses and an agreed dinner date, but after the fiasco with the rest of their groups they had decided any relationship would have to be kept secret for the time being. Ever since, the two had secretly dated while keeping up a façade of dislike in public.

That was a whole year ago, and no matter how hard Emma and Killian tried to dissolve the tension between their bands, it didn't happen.

Tonight, there was a party at a local downtown New York venue, and once again both bands had been invited.

"Hey, look, it's The Neverlanders!" Ruby mocked in high pitched voice as Killian and his band, consisting of Victor Whale, Robin Locksley, Regina Mills and Tinkerbell, entered. This earnt a snicker from the rest of Enchanted, namely Jefferson, Will Scarlett and August Booth. Emma simply rolled her eyes.

"Thanks for the announcement, babe!" Victor winked at her, causing The Neverlanders to laugh in return and Ruby to give him her best "fuck you" smile.

"Watch it, Frankenstein!" Jefferson countered. "Don't you know how to talk to a lady?"

"Oh I do, Hatter, but unfortunately I don't see a lady here for me to talk to," came the reply. This led to the remaining members of Enchanted as well as those of The Neverlanders getting involved. Emma and Killian just sighed.

The two singers shared a brief glance and turned to their respective band mates. "Will you guys quit it!" Emma exclaimed. "Just for once, would it kill you to leave them alone?"

"If we don't start it they will," Ruby complained.

"Yeah, and we can't let those losers have the upper hand," August added.

Emma groaned. "Seriously? Aren't we all adults here? You're complaining like a bunch of kids!"

"So? It's just a bit of banter, Ems," Will piped up. "Not like we're getting into a hustle, is it?"

"If I didn't stop you, I couldn't count on you _not_ to start a real fight," Emma muttered.

"Ewww, talk about PDA!" Jefferson suddenly shouted. Emma turned to see Robin and Regina kissing.

"That's it. I'm out," she fumed. She ignored her band mates calling her back as she stormed away from them towards the bar, hoping Killian would be there soon.

Killian was having similar trouble with his group. "Will the lot of you ever be able to be in the same room as Enchanted and _not_ cause a scene?" he sighed.

"We didn't do anything! They started it!" Victor protested.

"Aye, and you can finish it. I don't particularly like them either, but I don't go shouting it at every party."

"You'd rather we admit defeat," Regina asked incredulously.

"Yeah, Jones. Regina's right. If we stay quiet they'll think they have the upper hand," Robin tried to explain.

"Of course you agree with her," Killian mumbled. Regina and Robin had been dating for almost as long as the band had been together, and they all knew whatever one said, the other almost always agreed.

"What can I say? She's always right," Robin winked, earning a kiss from Regina.

Just then they heard Jefferson shout and Killian inwardly groaned, knowing this was going to lead to yet another argument. He saw Emma storm away from her band and took that as his cue to also leave.

"Well, if you're not going to act civilised, I'm going," he informed his group, before heading in the same direction as Emma. He approached the empty bar, which was around the corner from the rest of the party, and quickly glanced around to make sure no one was there.

"Hey, beautiful," he breathed into Emma's ears while snaking his arms around her waist from behind, causing her to jump.

"Damn it, Jones! You scared me!" she yelped, earning a laugh from Killian. She turned in his arms and brought hers around his neck. "And hello to you too."

Killian leaned in and gave Emma a chaste kiss, resting his forehead against hers. "I've missed you," he smiled.

Emma giggled. "I just saw you yesterday, you know."

"Aye. It feels like much longer than that though. You look stunning, love," Killian complemented leaning back slightly. She was wearing a tight red dress and her hair fell in loose curls, framing her face perfectly. Emma smiled shyly at him.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she replied, taking in his dark wash jeans and midnight blue button up. He was also wearing what she called his pirate necklace, and she'd never admit it, but it only made him all the more handsome.

Killian grinned at her devilishly. "Is that so?" he inquired with a raised eyebrow, earning a light slap to the shoulder. His face turned more serious as he continued. "What made you storm off this time?"

Emma sighed. "As much as I love the band, I really hate them too. They're so childish and have held a stupid grudge for almost a year now. I wish they'd just grow up!"

"Aye, as do I. They're both as bad as each other. One would think they're 3, not in their 30s," he grumbled.

"Mhmm," Emma hummed. She leaned in to kiss Killian again, this time much more passionately. They pulled apart when the need for air became too much, both sighing contentedly.

"I hate not being able to see you whenever I want," Emma whispered.

"Me too. How much longer are we going to keep this up, love? We can't live in secret forever," Killian replied.

"I know. I want to tell them, but I want them to be at least slightly civilised before we do."

"But how long are we going to wait? First we waited until we were comfortable with this, then we waited to gauge our siblings' feelings, and now we've been waiting the best part of six months for the two groups of idiots to not try to kill each other as soon as they're in the same room. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of having to hide us because someone else won't understand."

Emma sighed again. She knew Killian was right, but she also knew that the minute the bands found out they would be at her and Killian's throats. She feared what would happen if their relationship wasn't accepted.

"Killian, you know I don't want us to be a secret anymore. I'm just scared of what they'll do when we tell them. What if they hate us for it and kick us out? Or worse, what if they never speak to us again?"

Killian kissed her reassuringly. "That's not going to happen, love."

"But how do you know?" Emma worried.

"Because they're our friends first. They care about us more than any petty feud, and if push came to shove they'd choose us, just as we'd choose them."

"But Killian-"

"No but's, darling. You saw how Mary Margaret and David reacted. From what you told me they disliked me immensely due to the scuffle between our bands, but once you informed them we were together they couldn't keep the smiles off their faces."

"Yes, but that's my brother and sister-in-law. They'll always put my happiness first."

"And your friends won't?" Killian challenged.

"I... I don't know," Emma replied, her voice small. Killian cupped her cheek.

"Hey. Trust me when I say this: your friends _love_ you, Emma. I know you still have your insecurities, but as annoying as those four are, their care for you almost rivals that of Mary Margaret and David."

Emma searched Killian's eyes and knew what he was saying was true. Her friends had more than proved themselves in the past and would stand by her again now. "I guess you're right," she relented. "But what about your lot? Regina in particular seems to hate me."

"My lot will be fine. If Liam can get over it, I'm sure they can too. And besides, I'm the captain, so ultimately what I say, goes," he winked.

Emma laughed a little at his pirate joke. She had found out pretty early that The Neverlanders all had fairytale related nicknames, and Killian was 'Captain Hook'. All except Tink went by their usual names, though.

"Are you sure there won't be a mutiny?" she tried asking lightly, but Killian knew she was attempting to cover her fear for him.

"Certain," he assured her. "I'm also fairly sure Regina will warm up to you in due course, though that may take some time."

Before Emma could reply, they heard someone walking towards them and quickly separated, plastering a look of something between boredom and irritation on their faces.

"Jones?" Came the voice. "Get away from our leader!"

Killian turned to see Jefferson stand in front of Emma protectively and had to consciously keep the annoyance off his face. "Worry not, mate. I was merely saying a pleasant hello," he smiled sarcastically.

Jefferson scoffed. "You expect me to believe that? And I am _not_ your mate." He turned to face Emma. "Was he pestering you, Em?"

Emma had to suppress an amused smile. "Surprisingly, no," she said flatly. Jefferson narrowed his eyes at Killian.

"It better stay that way." When Killian held his hands up in surrender Jefferson seemed to be pleased, turning to Emma again. "Emma, everyone's been looking for you. You walked off without telling us where you went. The paparazzi are _dying_ to get a shot of the beautiful Emma Swan."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Yeah? Well they can wait a bit longer. Emma Swan isn't ready to surface yet."

"Oh come on, Em!" Jefferson tried to drag her by the arm, testing Killian's patience, but Emma pulled away forcefully.

"I said not yet," she reiterated, the force behind her words making Killian smirk.

"Okay. Relax," Jefferson said, backing away from the two of them. "I'll just tell them that you're... busy."

"Good," Emma smiled, and Jefferson walked off before she could have another go at him.

"Have I ever told you how bloody brilliant you are?" Killian beamed, pulling Emma to him again.

"Once or twice, though I wouldn't be against you saying it again," Emma smirked. She rested her hands on his chest and tiptoed to give him another kiss.

Killian brought his right hand up to tangle in her hair, while the other rested at her hip. He slanted his head to deepen the kiss and Emma followed. When the need for air became too much, they pulled apart.

"You have some of my lipstick on your mouth," Emma laughed, as she wiped it away with her thumb. Killian caught it between his teeth, before giving it a kiss, watching as Emma's eyes clouded with lust. She dragged her teeth over her lower lip and was about to dive in for another kiss when they heard a second person approach. They both groaned as they pulled themselves apart.

"Jones!" Victor shouted. "Dude, the paps are going crazy looking for you!"

"Not in the mood, Whale," Killian replied with a tight voice.

"Not in the mood? Man, I think you've had too much to drink. Or not enough. Come on, we're all waiting for you!"

"What part of not in the mood don't you understand?" Killian questioned, raising an eyebrow to emphasize his point.

"But there's a whole room full of girls waiting to get their hands on you," Victor winked.

"Then why don't you keep them company?" Emma cut in with a sickly sweet smile, unable to stop herself.

"What is this? Is Emma Swan jealous?" Victor asked in feigned shock.

Emma had to school her expression to one of nonchalance and extreme boredom. "No. I just want you to stop talking," she deadpanned.

"It's okay, babe. I'm sure Jones here wouldn't mind keeping you company if you decided to play nice," Victor continued to mock.

It took all Killian had to keep his anger reigned in. "Why don't you head back and I'll join you in a bit," Killian all but commanded. Victor left immediately, registering the no nonsense tone that was directed his way and knowing any attempt to stay longer wouldn't end well for him. The moment he was out of earshot, Killian groaned.

"Once we're no longer a secret, I'm going to personally make him regret those words ever left his mouth," he growled.

Emma couldn't help the smile that graced her face at Killian's protectiveness. "Oh, I won't be stopping you," she smirked, pulling him in for another kiss.

She sighed when they eventually broke apart. "You're right, you know. We really can't live like this anymore."

"Aye. I love you, Emma, and I want to be able to show it to the world. I want everyone to know that Emma Swan is mine," he said, genuinely.

Emma looked at him from below her lashes and smiled shyly. A year ago, she would have run at such sentiment, but she knew that Killian would never leave her, not as long as he had life left in him. "I love you too, Killian," she replied.

"So how are we going to do this?" Killian asked.

Emma hummed in thought. "I don't know."

"Well, we could go out there hand in hand. The paparazzi would spread the news worldwide within hours," he smirked. "Then again our friends may murder us for not telling them in private first," he added as an afterthought.

Emma laughed. "Yeah. I'd rather not die tonight, Jones."

"So our other options are to tell our groups individually, or get them in one place and tell them together."

Emma contemplated their options for a moment. "I think... I think I'd rather do it with you," she said quietly.

Killian smiled. "Then that is what we shall do," he confirmed, pecking her on the lips again.

"The awards are in three days, and I think it would be nice to go together," Emma stated.

"I concur. So we tell the guys, say, tomorrow?"

"Yeah, that could work. We could all get together somewhere. But we better not tell them we're getting together. I don't think I could deal with the fuss they'd put up."

"Likewise," Killian agreed. "How about we convene at the awards venue? Pretend we're going to rehearse our performances for the night? I doubt anyone would be scheduled before noon with the amount of drinking that's sure to take place tonight."

"That could work. Meet at 11?" Emma asked. "It should give us enough time to be in and out before the groups actually rehearsing turn up."

"Aye. Sounds perfect." A small, excited smile made its way onto Emma's face.

"We're actually doing this," she grinned, causing Killian to laugh.

"Yes we are," he replied. Emma dived in to kiss him again, throwing her arms around his neck while Killian's made their way around her waist. The two stayed like that for a while, in a slow, but sensual, kiss.

Killian was the first to pull away, moving his lips up her jaw to her ear, earning a soft moan from Emma. He smirked, before working his way down her neck to her pulse point. Emma pulled away suddenly when he started to bite down on the junction between her neck and her shoulder.

"Do _not_ mark me, Jones," she ordered.

"What's the fun in that, Swan?" he pouted playfully. This got him a slap to the shoulder. "Ouch! Bloody woman!" he almost yelled.

"Aww, did that hurt?" Emma mocked. Killian narrowed his eyes before crashing his lips to hers again. This time their kiss was more aggressive. Tongues duelled and teeth clashed as both fought for dominance. When the need for oxygen started to make their lungs burn, they were forced to pull away.

"I could kiss you forever," Killian said, pecking her lips a few more times.

"I'm counting on it," Emma smirked in return. They kept their eyes closed, resting their foreheads against each others and staying like that in a comfortable silence.

"We should probably get back out there," Killian sighed after a while.

"Yeah," Emma sighed back. "Couldn't we just sneak out?" she asked, hopefully.

"You know we can't, love. We have to at least make an appearance," Killian replied gently.

"I guess," Emma relented. "Do you want to go first or should I?"

"You choose."

"I'll go. Since we probably won't get another moment alone tonight, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Aye, tomorrow at 11. See you then, love." Emma gave him one last kiss, before fixing her lipstick and walking away with a sigh. Killian helped himself to a drink. He was going to need all the alcohol he good get if he was to face the rest of this night without his Swan.

The remainder of the party was spent in more or less the same way by both Emma and Killian. Both went back to their respective bands, plastering fake smiles and forcing laughter as and when it was needed. Neither bothered to stop any arguments that ensued between the two groups, opting to share mutual looks of bemusement instead. They did their duty of posing for photographs and answering music related questions, and around 1am they both decided to call it a night and head home.

~ CS ~

The next morning, Emma was awoken by a shrill beeping. She sleepily registered that it was coming from the alarm on her phone, and after seeing was only 10 am she turned it off and snuggled back into bed.

Two minutes later she woke up with a start. This was it; the day her and Killian's relationship went public.

Jumping out of bed she stumbled into the shower, grabbing the first set of clean clothes she could get her hands on. She was in and out in ten minutes, completely ready, and left her hotel room to wake up the others.

"Guys! Wake up!" Emma yelled, banging on each of her band mates' doors. When no one responded, she tried again. "Ruby! Will! August! Jefferson! GET UP!"

One by one, all four opened their room doors. Ruby groaned. "What the hell Emma. It's like 10 in the morning and we're all hungover. Can we please sleep?" She whined.

"No. We've got rehearsal at 11. So get dressed, grab something to eat and be in the lobby by 10.30."

Jefferson raised an eyebrow. "You couldn't have told us this last night _before_ we got drunk off our asses?"

Emma winced. "Sorry? But I mean it. 10.30 and not a minute later."

Everyone mumbled a vague confirmation that they'd be ready on time and retreated back into their rooms. Emma went back to hers as well for some coffee and something to eat. The nerves were really kicking in now, but she held firm. She wasn't backing out now.

Killian was feeling similarly nervous. He had also awoken at 10, but unlike Emma he had done the courtesy of letting his band know the night before that they had a 'rehearsal' this morning. As such most of them were ready to leave ten minutes before planned - the exception being Tink, who was always the late one in the group - and were on their way to the studio in time for the 11 o'clock meeting.

~ CS ~

The Neverlanders were first to arrive, entering the venue at precisely 10.55. While the rest of the group wandered about the stage figuring out how they were going to set up, Killian was pacing. Despite being certain Emma wasn't going to back out on him, and that - after some persuasion - the band would be okay too, he couldn't stop the butterflies wreaking havoc in his stomach.

He checked his watch every 30 seconds, wishing that time would speed up. At one point Robin came to check he was okay, but Killian brushed him off, telling him it was nothing. Killian was thankful Robin didn't push for more information, as even to his own ears his "nothing" sounded very unconvincing.

Finally, as the clock hit 11.01, Enchanted walked in and Killian released a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding. His gaze immediately locked with Emma's and he could see the same nervousness he was feeling in her eyes. She did seem to relax as she looked at him though, and slowly she started to make her way onto the stage.

The rest of the two groups just stared at each other for a moment, and then the arguing began.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" Will shouted, gesturing haphazardly to the group on stage.

"Us?" came Tink's reply. "We have a rehearsal scheduled! What are you doing here?!"

"No, we have a rehearsal now," Jefferson countered, causing Regina to scoff.

"You wish. Go check the listing!" she shouted.

As the back and forth between the bands continued, Killian and Emma made their way to corner of the stage.

"You ready, love?" Killian asked, seeing the uncertainty written on Emma's face.

Emma blinked once and then nodded determinedly. "Yes. Definitely," she replied in a firm voice. "Let's do this."

The two smiled and walked into the centre of the front of the stage. "Alright, that's enough!" Killian bellowed, catching the attention of everyone in the room. Both groups had all members on the stage by now.

Ruby opened her mouth to say something, but Emma beat her to it. "Not now, Rubes," she ordered. Ruby raised an eyebrow, suddenly suspicious at the close proximity of the two lead singers.

"To answer your questions, there has been no error by either party. Emma and I have gathered you here together on purpose."

It was now Regina and Tink's turn to raise their eyebrows, and the two women shared an inquisitive glance. The two, along with Ruby, immediately had a fairly good idea what was this whole fiasco was about. The men, however, were still clueless.

"The fighting between our bands has to stop," Killian continued. "It will be a year since this baseless hatred began come Sunday, and both Emma and I have had enough."

"We get it, okay," Emma took over. "Some nasty things were said in the heat of the moment, but we can't hold onto that for the rest of our lives. I'm fairly certain we've said hurtful things to each other within our bands too, but we move on because breaking a friendship isn't worth a stupid argument, and that's what we need to do now.

"While the rest of you spent that evening at the awards arguing, Killian and I got to know each other. And you know what? I have never met anyone who gets me more than he does. But thanks to your stupid fighting we were never able to be seen hanging out in public. So we didn't."

"It ends today, though," Killian continued. He glanced at Emma a final time for approval, and when she nodded he took her hand and spoke again. "Emma and I have been dating in secret for near enough the last year, and from now onwards we will no longer hide our relationship."

The revelation was met with a mix of gasps and shocked silence. Even the women, who had worked out what was coming, couldn't hide their surprise at having been kept in the dark for a whole _year_. Before any of them could recover, Killian carried on.

"Neither of us have been happier than during our year together, and I speak for both of us when I say we won't lose what we have because you all are too stubborn to act civil towards each other."

"I love him and he loves me." Emma added. "We were hoping you would all learn to get along first, but we can't - won't - wait anymore." She turned to Killian and smiled warmly. "I have never felt more happy, more safe, more complete than when I'm with him, and I never want to lose that feeling."

"Aye, me too. And as much as I love being able to sing and write songs as a career, I'd give it up in a heartbeat if I had to in order to spend the rest of my life with her." Killian turned back to the two groups. "So what do you say? Will you accept us and act decently towards each other, or are the two of us going to have to give all this up to be together?"

There was a moment of stunned silence as the implication of what Emma and Killian had just told them sunk in, before Ruby squealed with absolute delight.

"Emma!" she yelped, crushing Emma in a hug. "I can't believe you're in love!" Ruby had the biggest of grins on her face, and it took Emma a moment to realise what just happened. Before she could hug Ruby back, Ruby had let go and was now hugging Killian.

"I knew you were a big softie!" she teased Killian after releasing her hold in him. "Oh my goodness, you two are going to be the cutest couple ever! I can't believe you didn't tell me!" she pouted.

Emma had finally regained her bearings and laughed lightly. "Thanks Rubes. I knew I could count on you," she smiled, pulling Ruby in for another hug.

"Of course you can, silly! I'm so so so happy for you - both of you." She then turned to Killian. "Just don't hurt her and we won't have a problem," she warned.

"I've absolutely no intention of letting her down," Killian replied sincerely, and that was all it took for Ruby to squeeze them both into one last hug.

As the three pulled apart, Victor piped up. "Are you for real? Jones, you've been dating the sexiest girl in town for a year and we only find out now?"

Killian clenched his fist and gave him a tight smile. "Aye. And you better watch how you speak about her, _mate_. I still owe you punch to face for last night."

Victor swallowed nervously. "O-of course," he stammered. This earned a few laughs and amused smiles.

"Quite the protective boyfriend, aren't you?" Jefferson asked. "As much as I hate to admit it, you two do make a pretty good couple."

"Pretty good? They'll be the hottest topic in the music industry! Just imagine how amazing they'll look at the awards on Sunday," Tink supplied.

"Can't argue with that," August commented.

"Neither can I," Robin added. "Congratulations, Jones."

"Just remember, I'm still the hot Brit in this band," Will joked, earning a laugh from Killian.

"Will do, mate," Killian replied.

Emma and Killian were a little surprised at how quickly everyone had accepted the news, although Regina's silence was eating away at Emma.

"Regina? Any opinion on the matter?" Killian asked, sensing Emma's discomfort.

Regina glanced around to see everyone looking at her expectantly. "You're all really okay with this?" she asked, slightly incredulously. "A whole year of bickering forgotten, just like that?"

When no one said anything, and Killian and Robin looked at her pointedly, she finally relented. "Am I one hundred percent okay with this? No. But I'm willing to give it a shot." She turned to Emma and continued. "I guess a welcome is in order."

Regina held out her hand and Emma shook it tentatively. "Thanks, Regina."

Regina gave her a small smile in return and went back to Robin's side. There was a moment of silence, before Ruby spoke. "Soooooo, does that mean we're all friends now?" she asked.

"I don't know if friends is the right word right now - more like acquaintances. I don't see why we couldn't become friends in the future though," Robin supplied.

"Who knows, we might actually get along if we can have a conversation which doesn't involve arguing," Tink added.

"And that's all we ask," Emma said. "Of course we don't expect you to be all chummy immediately, but we'd appreciate it if the arguing was kept to a minimum."

"You got it, Em," Jefferson affirmed. "Just one question: does that mean we don't actually have a rehearsal today?"

Emma smiled sheepishly. "Yeah... We knew you guys would refuse to meet willingly and we wanted to tell you together, so we sort of came up with the rehearsal idea."

"Our rehearsals take place tomorrow; us at 12 followed by you lot at 1," Killian added.

"You guys! You made us get up so early!" Ruby pouted, her eyes taking on sudden mischief. "I say for that you at least owe us a kiss."

"Yeah! Give us a kiss!" Will agreed. Soon everyone was chanting "kiss" and Emma and Killian shared an amused look. Killian pulled Emma into him by wrapping his left arm around her waist and he cupped her cheek with his right hand, before leaning in to kiss her. Emma brought her right hand to the nape of his neck, playing with the hair there, while her left rested between them on his chest. The two remained lip-locked for many moments, everyone cheering around them.

"Damn, that was sexy!" Ruby said as they pulled apart, causing everyone to laugh.

"I think it's safe to say these two are entering the music awards arm in arm, right?" August asked.

"You bet we are," Emma confirmed.

"Oh my goodness! You're going to be the hottest couple to ever grace the red carpet. I cannot wait!" Tink exclaimed.

"Oh for sure," Ruby agreed.

Killian laughed. "Well with a woman as stunning as Emma anyone would look good," he smiled, wrapping his arm around Emma's waist.

Emma blushed, hitting him lightly on the chest. "Shut up. You're the one who practically every woman is dying to get her hands on."

Killian nodded in agreement. "Well, I _am_ devilishly handsome," he smirked, earning himself another hit.

"And apparently humble too," Emma mumbled.

"What I meant was that I think we make quite the team, love."

"Awww! You two are so cute!" Ruby gushed, and this time both Killian and Emma blushed.

"Alright alright. Enough about us now. How about we go out for lunch as a big group?" Killian suggested.

"Yeah guys. It would be a great way to get to know each other," Emma agreed.

Regina rolled her eyes. "You two do realise that if you want your first appearance together to be on the red carpet, lunch as a big group of ten isn't the best idea, right?"

Emma frowned. "That's a good point. How about we just go back to one of our hotels and order in instead?" she suggested.

"Well, as long as I'm not paying count me in," Will piped up.

"I'm always up for free food," Victor agreed. The rest also seemed happy with the arrangement, so both bands' members headed to The Neverlanders' hotel for lunch.

They ordered pizza, seeing as it was the only thing everyone could agree on, and once they were well into their meal the real questions started.

"So, how exactly did you two manage to keep all this a secret for a whole year?" Tink asked, taking another bite of her pizza.

Killian shrugged. "No idea to be honest. I guess you lot were so busy hating each other you didn't even attempt to notice."

"That's fair, but what about dates outside of public parties etc.? Emma, we _always_ tell each other where we're going and who we're going out with. You couldn't have tricked me that easily?" Ruby pouted.

"It wasn't too difficult once Mary Margaret and David were in on it," Emma shrugged.

Ruby almost choked on her pizza. "Mary Margaret and David knew?! _Emma!_ "

Emma knew she had to calm her best friend down before she started to throw a tantrum. "I'm sorry, Rubes, but one: David's my brother and he can see through anything I say, and two: you really, _really_ hated Killian and The Neverlanders. We just didn't know how you'd react," she defended herself.

Ruby's expression turned into one of sadness and offence, causing Killian to squeeze Emma's waist gently where his left hand was resting in a silent show of support. Emma smiled at him gratefully.

"I'm really sorry I lied to you, Ruby. In fact, I know I should have agreed to tell everyone sooner, but I didn't and all I can do is apologise for it."

The sadness in Ruby's gaze quickly turned to understanding, realising her best friend's past of hurt and betrayal still had her wary at times. She was quick to give the blonde a hug. "It's okay, Ems. I get it. I'm just glad you told us now," she smiled.

Emma let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," she whispered.

Suddenly Ruby's grin turned wolfish, and Emma dreaded what was coming next. Kilian caught onto his girlfriend's expression and braced himself for the brunette's next words. "So… on a scale of one to ten, how good is the sex?"

"Ruby!" Emma exclaimed, a blush rising quickly up her cheeks. Killian's ears were also turning pink.

"I so don't need to hear this," Regina muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Oh come _on_! Look at them! It's gotta be good," Tink added, apparently as interested as Ruby.

"I am _not_ answering that question," Emma stated firmly.

"Jones? Willing to give us anything?" Whale prodded.

Killian just smirked. "I do not kiss and tell, mate. I am a gentleman after all."

"Right. A gentleman," Regina scoffed, earning an eyeroll from Emma.

"At least tell us if you made the sucker wait till the third date," Will asked Emma.

"Not telling," she replied with a finality that implied it would be wise to drop the subject.

"Ughh, fine. Be boring," Ruby sighed dramatically, before perking up again just as quickly. Killian swore her rapidly changing expressions were going to give him whiplash.

"First date. Where, when, what - I want all the details," Ruby demanded.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Ruby, please can we just enjoy this pizza without analysing every detail of our love life?"

"Nope," Ruby replied, popping the p for added effect.

"I agree with Ruby. Your love life is why we're here. We want details," Tink seconded.

Emma and Killian exchanged a bemused, but defeated, look. "You lasses will be the death of us. Perhaps we should've kept this secret a little longer," Killian deadpanned.

"Yeah, maybe," Emma snorted in agreement.

"Oh suck it up guys! You're the ones who dated a year behind our backs. At least fill us in on some of the good stuff," Jefferson said in exasperation.

"Yeah. You know, the stuff that normally your friends would know _before_ it happens," Robin added pointedly.

"Alright, alright. No need to bite our heads off. First date, I took this lovely lady here on a picnic," Killian smiled, reminiscing about their first outing together.

"A picnic?" August scoffed.

"Yes, a picnic," Emma confirmed, shooting her bandmate a glare. "A picnic out of town, under the stars."

"So you went stargazing?" Will asked.

"Aye," Killian replied.

"And?" Tink prodded.

Killian huffed. "You know, if you all would be so kind as to shut up for two minutes, we might actually be able to tell you properly."

Everyone smiled sheepishly, silencing themselves to allow Emma to continue. "It was a few days after the awards last year, and we wanted to go somewhere no one would see or recognise us, so Killian had the idea of driving out into the countryside where we could sit under the stars and just be us without worrying about anything else."

"Aye. so I packed us a homemade dinner and some wine, along with all other necessities in a picnic basket, and we spent the evening enjoying our privacy," Killian added.

A small smile graced Emma's lips as she remembered the day. "It was great. The sky was perfectly clear, and I found out you can cook," she smirked.

"Indeed you did. And you've taken advantage of that fact many times since," Killian chuckled.

Emma shrugged unapologetically. "Well, I can't make anything more complicated than mac and cheese. You think I wouldn't?"

"Luckily for you, darling, I wouldn't have it any other way," Killian laughed, placing a kiss to her temple.

Ruby's squeal interrupted their moment. "You guys are _adorable_! Emma, he already sounds like a keeper," she winked.

Everyone laughed and from there the conversation flowed nicely, with some of them asking a question here or there, but nothing too demanding. With the two groups getting to know each other better, they found they did indeed have a fair amount in common, and before they knew it it was time for dinner so chinese takeout was ordered.

After dinner the Enchanted decided to head back to their hotel, since it was starting to get late. They said their goodbyes, arranging to meet up again the following day as well, and soon everyone was back in their hotel rooms. To no-one's surprise, Emma stayed with Killian.

"I don't think that could have gone much better," Killian smiled as he and Emma snuggled into bed.

"Me neither. You were right; we had nothing to worry about," Emma replied, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Mhmm. It just feels good to longer have to keep us a secret," Killian sighed, placing a kiss to Emma's lips.

"Yeah," Emma breathed as they broke apart. "Now let's get some sleep. We both have rehearsals tomorrow."

"Indeed. I love you so much, you know that right?" Kilian said, his eyes beginning to drift shut.

"Yeah. And I love too."

~ CS ~

When the awards night came, Killian instructed the driver to pick up Emma along the way. Arriving separately for their first public appearance as a couple would not be well received.

He was wearing a black fitted suit with white shirt and black tie - the classic look. He and Emma had considered coordinating their outfits, but had eventually decided against it. Therefore Killian had no idea what his Swan was going to be wearing.

As the car pulled outside her hotel, Emma grabbed her clutch and headed downstairs. Killian, ever the gentleman, was holding the door open for her as she approached the car. She smiled as she took him in.

"You're looking very fine," she complimented, leaning in for a kiss.

"And you look absolutely beautiful," Killian replied, looking at her in awe. She was wearing sleeveless black floor length gown and her hair was swept to the side. It took all his self restraint not to run his fingers through her wavy locks, but Killian knew he'd be in trouble if he ruined her look before they even reached the red carpet, so he held back.

After they settled into the car, they made the short journey to the awards venue. Both of them had butterflies in their stomachs, not wanting to ruin their first big appearance. Just before they left the car, Killian placed a comforting hand on Emma's arm.

"Hey, it's going to be fine," he reassured her.

"I know," Emma smiled, and looking into his deep blue eyes she knew it would be. Killian smiled back and exited the car first.

Immediately the cameras started flashing as everyone fought to get a picture of Killian Jones. Screaming fans could be heard on either side, and Killian gave them a quick wave as he walked round the back of the car to Emma's door.

He could feel the looks of confusion as he did so, which quickly morphed into excitement as the public realised he had come with a date. He took a deep, calming breath and opened the door.

Gasps and murmurs of disbelief were heard as Emma took Killian's offered hand and stepped out the car. Cameras started flashing more rapidly as it became apparent that Emma Swan and Killian Jones, thought by many as sworn enemies, had arrived at the awards together.

Emma also gave a smile and wave to the crowd as fans started cheering. The two stars hadn't taken five steps before they were swarmed by reporters wanting to know the full details.

"Are you and Miss Swan officially a couple?" one reporter directed at Killian.

"How long have you been together?" asked another.

"Aren't you supposed to be enemies?" a third questioned.

"How do your band mates feel about this?" added a fourth.

As the questions were fired at them, Killian simply ignored the fuss and placed his right hand at the small of Emma's back, leading her towards the red carpet while simultaneously taking them as far away from the nosey journalists as possible. Once there, they posed for the photographs and proceeded to the official interviews.

"Emma, Killian," greeted Sarah, a reporter both were familiar with. "Lovely to see you both again. Might I add, you're both looking gorgeous, as always."

"A pleasure to see you too," Killian replied, his usual charming smile in place. "And thanks."

"Likewise. You look great yourself," Emma added.

"Thank you. Getting straight to the point, would I be correct in assuming I am currently standing alongside the music industry's newest couple?" she inquired.

"Aye, I guess you could say that," Killian answered, sharing an amused glance with Emma.

"We've been dating for a while, but this is our first public appearance together," Emma added.

"A while?" Sarah pressed.

Killian smirked at her coyly. "A while," he repeated.

"I'm not going to get an answer to that, am I?" Sarah more stated than asked.

"You know us too well," Emma chuckled.

"Are you excited for the show tonight?"

"Oh definitely. There are so many performances to look forward to that I'm certain it will be a night to remember," Killian replied.

"It certainly promises to be. And I think I'm correct in saying both your bands have once again been nominated for the same categories. Who's going to be the worse loser if the results come out in the opposition's favour?" She continued.

Emma and Killian laughed lightly. "Well honestly, I think we're both pretty competitive people. We can both get pretty annoying when we lose, but nothing's more important to us than each other and the new friendships we've formed," Emma answered.

"Aye. So if one of us were to win today, because you have to remember there are other brilliant artists who have also been nominated alongside us, the other will be just as pleased as they would have been if they had won themselves," Killian added.

"Well aren't you two the sweetest - and the hottest, I might add. You two look stunning together," Sarah gushed.

"So what you're saying is we don't look stunning on our own?" Killian joked good-naturedly.

"Of course not! You two look gorgeous all the time, but together? I don't think there's a better looking couple out there."

"Thanks," Emma grinned.

"My pleasure. And one final question; can we expect a collaboration between Enchanted and The Neverlanders any time soon?"

"We haven't thought about any of that yet, but maybe in the future. For now we're working on our own things though, so soon? Probably not," Killian explained.

"I see. Well thank you for taking the time to chat with me. I wish you both the best of luck tonight."

"Thank you," both Emma and Killian replied in unison, before being ushered to the next interviewer. The questions were more or less the same, as they were with all following interviews. When they had finally given the last one, the two made their way inside.

Both Enchanted's and The Neverlanders' performances went off without a hitch, both bands getting a standing ovation from the crowd. Satisfied with that part of the evening, the groups made their way to their seats.

Emma and Killian were seated next to each other, the rest of the members from both bands sitting around them. They dutifully smiled and clapped as each category and winner was announced, but both felt themselves getting nervous as their turn neared.

The nominations for their first category were announced, and both smiled and waved as the camera turned to their bands when their names were mentioned. They exchanged a silent look as they waited for the winner to be announced, both reaffirming what they had said in their red carpet interview earlier.

"And the winner is… Enchanted!"

Everyone clapped as the camera panned back to Emma's band. Emma turned to Killian as she stood in slight disbelief, only to have him stand with her and pull her into his embrace. "Congratulations, love," he beamed, punctuating his happiness with a kiss.

A new set of cheers erupted around the display, causing a slight blush to colour Emma's cheeks. Kilian gave her slight nudge in the direction of the stage, and soon she was standing up there receiving the award with the rest of her band around her.

"Thank you… thank you all so much. We are so honoured to receive this award. We'd like to thank everyone who worked with us on this album, and in particular everyone who believed in us and kept us going. This really means a lot to all of us. Thanks!"

With Emma's little speech done, one she was shaking throughout though hopefully no one noticed, the quintet returned to their seats as they still had one more nomination. This time it was The Neverlanders who won, and Emma returned Killian's display of affection from earlier.

"You won!" she exclaimed, a dumbfounded Killian staring at her as if this were all a dream. Emma laughed. "Go on, mister. Go get your award," she grinned.

That knocked Killian out of his stupor, and he followed the rest of his band onto the stage. "Thank you to everyone who deemed us worthy of this award and made it possible for us to be here in the first place. We couldn't have done it without the hours put in by all our crew, and of course we would like to thank our family, friends and loved ones for always supporting us. Thank you!"

Killian winked pointedly at Emma when mentioning "loved ones", causing the crowd to both laugh and swoon. Emma simply rolled her eyes. Soon she was backstage, giving her boyfriend a slap to the chest followed by a chaste kiss.

"Look at us. One award a piece," Killian grinned.

"Yep. Guess it worked out pretty well in the end," Emma beamed back.

"Aye. Though I did mean what I said earlier, love. I would be just as happy if you had been holding both of these."

Emma hummed, leaning in for another kiss. "The same goes for you too."

Their moment of peace was interrupted by Will. "Speak for yourselves. We'd never hear the end of it if your lot won both categories," he scoffed, nodding towards Killian.

"Yeah, and neither would we if you'd won both of them," Whale retorted.

Any possible (and hopefully friendly) argument was stopped by the arrival of one of the organisers, who ushered both bands towards the photo area. Enchanted went first, pulling all sorts of faces and striking too many poses to count, including some comical ones. Then they were directed to the cars which would take them to the after party that had been organised for the winners.

Emma hung back, standing to the side as The Neverlanders had their mini-shoot. Seeing she was still there, the main photographer stopped Killian when the rest of the band made to leave. "Wait a moment, Killian. Emma, could you rejoin him? We'd love to get a photo of the music industry's newest couple."

A quick look at each other and a small shrug later, Killian and Emma stood with one arm draped around the other and their respective awards in their other hands, grinning broadly as the flashes went off. At one point Killian tickled Emma's side, causing her to giggle and look up to him with a mock stern look, to which Killian simply smiled innocently back at her. Very quickly their looks melted into ones of pure love and adoration, a moment which was captured perfectly by the photographers. Satisfied with the shots they got, the man waved Emma and Killian off towards the waiting cars.

The rest of the night was a blur, with a series of congratulations directed at them for both their awards and their "new" relationship. They spent the mandatory amount of time socialising with the other winners and guests, but as soon as they could they left to enjoy their evening in private.

~ CS ~

Killian was awoken the following morning by rays of sunlight streaming onto his face. As he cleared his sleep filled mind, the first thing he noticed was that Emma was curled into his side with her head resting on his chest.

He smiled, recalling last night's events and placing a kiss on her head, before reaching for his phone to check the time. When he finally got his hand to it and turned it on using the home button, to say he was a little shocked at what he saw would be an understatement.

93 messages were staring him in the face. Ninety. Three. Messages.

He unlocked his phone and started to skim through them, already having a fairly good idea of what he was going to find. As expected, they were all regarding his and Emma's newly public relationship.

He ignored a good majority of them, especially those from third parties such as press junkies and magazine publishers, all wanting the full scoop of how 'the hottest musicians on the planet went from enemies to lovers'. The rest were mainly from friends, simply congratulating him and telling him "it was about time" they got together, and he mentally made a note to reply to them at a later time. It was only the final two that really caught his attention, though.

The first was from David (though he had no doubt it was in equal parts from Mary Margaret), in which he was thoroughly praised for finally getting through to Emma and rewarded with an invite to be his plus one for a behind the scenes Star Wars Episode VIII tour he had won some time ago. He suppressed a laugh at the words and managed to type a 'Thanks mate. Much appreciated' in reply using his one free hand, miraculously keeping his phone from slipping and hitting him square in the face. As he was about to read the second one, courtesy of his brother, Liam, and no doubt with similar sentiment, he felt Emma shift next to him.

"Morning, handsome," she smiled, kissing his cheek. He returned the smile, placing his phone back on the bedside table and turning on his side to wrap both his arms around her.

"Good morning, beautiful." He leaned in and kissed her chastely on the lips, smiling broadly as he pulled away. "Last night was quite the evening."

Emma hummed contentedly. "Yeah. I'm just so glad we don't have to hide anymore."

''Me too," Killian agreed. "You'll never guess how many messages I had this morning."

"How many?" Emma asked, already wincing slightly in anticipation of his answer.

"Ninety-three."

Emma balked. " _Ninety-three messages?!_ Damn. Let me check my phone." She turned around in Killian's embrace to reach for her phone on the other night stand. Killian tightened his hold and rested his chin on her shoulder, peering at Emma's phone.

Steeling herself, Emma unlocked her phone to find she also had around a hundred messages. Killian chuckled lightly as she gasped in surprise. "I guess we gave everyone quite the surprise, wouldn't you say, love?"

Emma nodded, slightly dumbfounded. "I guess so. I mean I expected there to be a lot of talk, but this?!"

"Fret not, darling," Killian reassured her, placing a soft kiss to her shoulder. "The majority are from journalists and friends sharing their surprise and well wishes. Out of the lot of them I only had two which were of any importance."

Emma scrolled through her notifications quickly, seeing that Killian was right. She placed her phone back on the night stand before turning to face him again. "It looks like it. The only important ones I have are from Mary Margaret and Elsa."

This caused Killian to laugh again. "What?" Emma asked, furrowing her brow with a slight pout.

Killian couldn't resist kissing the frown of his girlfriend's face. "You look adorable when you do that, you know?" he whispered as he rested his forehead against hers. Emma simply blushed slightly. "And as for the object of my amusement, it appears to me that our respective brothers and sister's in law decided pestering both of us was in order. I had messages from Dave and Liam both telling me it was about time we went public."

Emma giggled softly at Killian's words. "Of course they did, and I'd bet Mary Margaret and Elsa's messages are more or less the same."

"Probably, but I doubt Mary Margaret was able to offer you to be her guest to the Star Wars Episode VIII tour as a reward, since she isn't going to one," Killian smirked.

Emma's jaw dropped. "What?! David did that? No fair," she pouted again. Killian simply dove in for another deep kiss.

"Yes he did," he replied as they broke apart. "But enough about our annoying siblings. It's been far too long since I've had you in my bed and I intend to take full advantage of it."

Emma raised an amused eyebrow. "Is that so?" she challenged.

"You better believe it, Swan. If I had it my way you'd never leave," Killian stated, rising to trap Emma's body underneath his. His kiss was stopped short though by Emma's next words.

"Well, I guess I don't have to anymore," she smiled shyly, sincerity obvious in her voice. She looked up at Killian with an open stare, love and warmth pouring out of her gaze.

Killian blinked down at Emma. Was she suggesting what he thought she was? He cleared his throat before speaking. "Emma, what are you saying?" he asked tentatively.

Emma bit her lip, trying to push back her nerves. "I was thinking that since we, you know, don't have to hide anymore, maybe we could move in together?" she asked hopefully.

A grin split Killian's face as he swooped in for a long, passionate kiss. "Of course I'd love to move in together," he breathed when they finally came up for air. He bumped their noses together lovingly, before leaning in once more for a more gentle kiss. Soon after both him and Emma were lost in each other, both overjoyed at being able to take this next step in their relationship.

~ CS ~

The bands had decided to get together for a late lunch at a local diner before their flight left for LA in the evening, which, as luck would have it, turned out to be empty.

"Well, this has been one hell of a week," Robin stated, the many events flickering through his mind.

"You can say that again," Jefferson agreed.

"But it was fun," Ruby added, smiling warmly at Killian and Emma. They returned her smile happily.

"In all honesty though, we can't tell you how much it means to us that you finally put away this petty rivalry for us. Thank you," Emma said sincerely.

"Nonsense!" Tink waved off nonchalantly. "You two are our friends, and friends always come first."

"Aye, lass. And we're grateful to have friends like you," Killian smiled.

"Well don't get all mushy on us," Regina deadpanned, which earned her a scoff from most of them.

"You're one to talk! You and Robin are sometimes the most disgustingly PDA couple around!" August retorted.

"Yeah, he's right on that one," Whale agreed.

Regina looked at him in betrayal. "You're supposed to be on our side!" she accused.

"No I'm not. We're all buddies now," Whale winked in reply.

After keeping up her affronted facade for all of ten seconds, Regina finally sighed in defeat. "Alright, fine. Maybe we do overdo it sometimes, but that doesn't give them permission to as well," she huffed.

Robin just stared at her with a raised eyebrow. "Isn't that a little hypocritical, babe?"

"No, but one thing I will say is… Emma, I guess you're not so bad after all. And neither are the rest of you."

Emma's jaw dropped slightly, before her lips turned up into a smile. "Thanks, Regina." The woman in question smiled back, and Emma released a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding since this whole thing had started.

Once they finished their lunch, the two groups headed to the airport. There, while waiting at the departure gate, Emma and Killian were approached by a girl around the age of ten.

"Umm, hi. I'm Ellie. Are you Killian Jones and Emma Swan," the girl asked, clearly nervous about talking to them.

The two musicians smiled. "We are indeed, little lass. Anything we can do for you," Killian replied, a warm and welcoming smile on his face.

"Uh… would you mind signing this for me?" Ellie asked, holding out a magazine.

Emma and Killian both nodded, Killian reaching for the book as Emma pulled a sharpie out her bag. He paused as he saw the picture.

It was the one from after the awards ceremony, the two looking lovingly into each other's eyes with an award in each of their hands. It was a candid moment in which they looked truly happy, like they hadn't a care in the world, and the thought made Killian's heart skip a beat.

"Hey, love. Look at this," he said to Emma, pointing at the picture they were about to autograph. He could see the same emotions flicker across Emma's face as she took in the photo too.

"We have to get them to send us this one," she whispered, still in slight awe.

"We do," Killian agreed.

Suddenly realising they still had a young fan waiting, Killian shook himself out of his reverie and gestured for Emma to sign first, followed by himself. The girl seemed overjoyed as they returned her magazine to her, and they watched happily as she skipped back to her parents.

"What do you say, love; ready to start our life together as an official couple?" Killian smirked, just as they were about to board their plane.

Emma placed a quick kiss on his lips. "You bet I am."

 **So there you have it! What do you think? It's definitely not my favourite, but I wanted to have a stab at it and I'm quite happy with how it turned out :)**


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